The United States is going through a horrid gun policy crisis. From supermarkets to elementary schools, all across our country, the grief from lives we have lost to gun violence is immense. It’s also preventable. I am a progressive Democrat running to represent Virginia’s 8th Congressional District (VA-8). I am a strong proponent of gun safety legislation, including increasing background checks, enforcing red flag laws, and banning the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Such laws impact lives and more effective leadership to promote gun safety is dire.
Attempting to secure last-minute media coverage for his faltering campaign, my opponent recently released a bill to tax the sale of assault weapons by 1,000% — clearly not a substantive proposal. Using an impractical, half-baked policy proposal to draw attention to a campaign is exactly the kind of political stunt that Americans are tired of. This is not leadership. VA-8 deserves a Congresswoman who listens to the lived experiences of everyday Americans and to sound research to inform policies that will really make a difference and reduce gun violence.
When speaking to his policy proposal, my opponent stated, “It’s trying to hit the sweet spot, where it’s not an all-out ban, but people’s independent purchasing decisions would be much more ‘no’ than ‘yes.’” There is nothing sweet about assault weapons. “Rosanna Smart, an economist at the Rand Corp. who has researched the impact of gun excise taxes,” shared with the media that “empirical evidence is lacking about whether increasing firearms excise taxes affects gun violence.”
In addition to this proposal falling short on proven effectiveness, it also misses the mark on bipartisan support. Such a policy proposal is not a way to put aside party ties to deliver results that matter. Instead, this proposal draws upon political divisiveness that, again, Americans are tired of. While Karina Lipsman, who won the Republican nomination in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, holds a policy platform that largely contrasts to mine, I wholeheartedly agree with Lipsman’s interpretation of this policy proposal as “political lip service.” It’s also coming late. The most consequential bipartisan Senate negotiations on gun safety in decades are already underway, making this proposal unlikely to be added into the mix.
I have a plan to bring true leadership to VA-8 to address gun violence and shape a future that works for everyone. VA-8 needs someone who will WORK HARD in Congress to serve people, not themselves. I am ready to be that leader. Join me by voting on Election Day tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21. To follow and support my campaign, visit victoriaforcongress.com.